Egg and like slicing appliance



April 4 M. LOCKER 2,240,221

EGG AND LIKE SLICING APPLIANCE Filed Nov. 26, 1938 Patented Apr. 29, 1941 Application November 26, 1938, Serial No. 242,477

I In Great Britain December 3, 1937 1 Claim.

This invention refers to appliances for cutting hard boiled eggs, and the like into slices.

Known appliances for such purpose consist of a thin metal base part with a central raised portion, shaped on its upper face to form a recess for holding the egg, and having also a number of parallel slits. Hinged to the base is the slicer proper, consisting of a metal wire frame, carrying a length of fine wire folded to provide a series of parallel cross-wires, corresponding in number with the slits in the said raised part of the base member, so that, on being turned down, the parallel cross-wires of the frame pass through the egg andthrough the slits. With such make of slicer, the metal between the slits is fiat and thin in horizontal cross section.

One of the greatest difiiculties in, the construction of such a slicer is to obtain and maintain correct register of the cutter wires with the slits in the base. Not only must such wires register with the slots as they first enter at one edge of the base but they must also be correctly in alignment with such slots, as otherwise undue'fricticn andstress arises which will cause the wires to become loose or bent or even make the slicer imworkable. Another dimculty with the known slicer and also connected with this problem of alignment, is that under the pressure of the cutter wires, those portions of the slicer between the slits, especially at the centre and curved parts, frequently distort or break and render the slicer unfit for further use, as the wires catch and refuse to enter or leave the slots. Another fault is that the cutter frame is not readily removable from the base part of the slicer, and does not lend itself to easy washing or cleaning, or transference to a new slicer when the one to which it has been connected is broken. A further drawback is that the slicer is made wholly of metal, and is liable to rust and affect the objects being sliced.

This invention has for its object an egg slicer having an improved construction and arrangement of parts.

According to the first feature of the invention, those portions of the raised central portion of the base part, between the slits, are made to a cross section which is greater in depth than width, thus adding to their strength.

According to a second feature of the invention, the construction of hinge loops and the manner of their attachment to the frame wire is such that a non-rigid hinge is provided, the spring jaws being capable of some movement backwards and forwards in their slots in the base whilst the frame itself is slidable a little from side to side;

I In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan; I

Fig; 3 isa transverse section of one example of egg slicer made in accordance with the invention.

As illustrated; the slicer comprises a base part a of synthetic .resin or like mouldable material, which. may be white or coloured. In the centre of the base part is a; raised portion consisting of a plurality of substantially parallel ribs 12 separated by slots 0, the ribs being of triangular cross section as shown in Fig. 3 and collectively shaped at their centre portions to form an eggshaped sinking, some of the upper corners of which 'arebevelledoff at d around the sinking and-at e for the entry of the wires.

The cutter frame 1 is made of stout steel wire and is given a dowuwardbend or kink in its sidemembers; near. thefront end, so that such downwardlyi bent parts may engage the base and act as a stop to limit-the downward movement of the frame, and thus prevent the slicing wires g made of a single length of stainless steel from reaching the bottom of the slots and becoming stressed and bent or slackened during the operation of the slicer.

The construction of the frame to hold the wires comprises two strips of sheet metal h which are attached respectively to the front and hinged edges of the frame. These strips, which are alike, are each formed near one edge with a plurality of horse-shoe shaped cuts, and the tongues 1' thereby formed are slightly bent out of the plane of the metal. Above such tongues the strip of metal is wide enough to be bent round the wire of the frame and is secured to such wire by indenting from the underside as shown at h when the assembly of the frame has been completed. The slicing wire is wound backwards and forwards between the tongues of the two strips, the ends being suitably looped round one of them, and at the same time is tensioned. The bases of the tongues are rounded as shown at i to reduce the angle of kink in the wire which would otherwise occur at each side of the tongues. After winding of the slicing wire, the tongues are pressed down to secure it in position.

The cutter frame 1 is connected to the base part by means of U-shaped flat metal holders 7, each of which at one part forms a hinge loop for the frame wire, and at another part forms spring jaws 7' adapted to pass through a slot 7c in the base of the slicer, and, by expansion, fix themselves and the cutter frame to the said base, or, by contraction, allow the frame to be removed from the base part. Owing to the resiliency of the holders 7' and the difference in the dimensions of the holders 9' and the slots k, the holders are permitted a limited movement longitudinally and laterally of the base a. It will be noted that the slots is are slightly longer than the width of the holders which provides for a limited lateral movement of the holders. The spring jaws 7' which engage the side walls of the slots lc provide for a limited longitudinal or backward and forward movement of the holders 7'. Small projecting lugs l are provided, at the sides of the central raised portion, with which the sides of the frame engage causing initial location of the frame for proper entry of the wires between the ribs.

By, providing the sliding movement of the frame itself therein of about A; inch, the frame is able to move for correct initial register or engagement of the wires in the slots and by the provision of the backward and forward movement of the hinges themselves of about inch each at the frame, and by the guiding action of the wires themselves, the frame is able to take up a position in which the wires are in correct alignment with the slots without any substantial strain on the Wires. For the purpose of obtaining initial register, the sides of the frame are adapted to engage the sides of the raised central portion of the base, or lugs or projections thereon, before the wires enter the slots and, therefore, the wires cannot foul the corners of the intervening solid parts as they enter. To assist further the entry of the wires into the slots, the projecting corners are bevelled, or rounded to open the entrances to the slots.

With the slicer made as aforesaid, the ribs are very strong and will not break under the normal pressure from the cutter Wires, and the cutter frame can be readily fixed and removed. And,

' in the central raised position of the base part of the slicer, the egg may be placed longways as well as sideways, or other objects of a similar consistency may be sliced.

What I claim is:

An improved appliance for cutting hard boiled eggs, fruit and the like into slices, comprising a body of moulded material having a plurality of closely spaced ribs to support the article to be sliced, a cutting frame carrying similarly spaced taut cutting wires adapted to enter the spaces between the ribs, hinge means connecting the frame to the body permitting lateral and angular displacement of the frame and locating and guiding means to limit the lateral movement of the frame, the ribs being shaped at the entrances to the spaces between them so as to receive the wires in all permitted lateral positions of the frame and guide the wires into said spaces and the hinge permitting angular movement of the frame after initial entry of the wires into the spaces to allow the ribs to align the wires as they pass down between them, the said locating and guiding means comprising lugs on the body with which the sides of the frame may engage prior to entry of the wires between the ribs, said guiding and locating lugs cooperating with the wire guiding means to position properly both the frame and the wires for causing the wires to move into spaces without undue strain and without fouling the body at the entrances to said spaces.

MAURICE LOCKER. 

